This garden is home to various species and varieties of Citrus.
Citrus x aurantium – The bitter orange (Larinġ tal-Bakkaljaw) is widely used as a rootstock to graft other varieties of Citrus as well as for the production of orange blossom water and marmalade.
Citrus limon – Lemon trees (Lumija) has traditionally always been grown in the maltese yard. Sometimes lemon trees can also be used as a rootstock for grafting. In the Citrus garden one may find three varieties: ‘Femminello lunario’, ‘Balotin’ and the ‘Ta’ kull qamar’ variety which is very popular as it produce fruit throughout the year.
Citrus reticulata – The mandarin orange (Mandolina), usually has a sweeter flavour.
Citrus clementina cv. ‘Hernandina’ - The Hernandina clementine (Klementina) is a very sweet citrus fruit which is smooth and soft and easily peeled by hand, very similar to the mandarin but having a rounder shape.
Citrus medica var. limetta – The sweet lime (Lumiċell) resembles a lemon in shape and colour but has a very sweet taste with an intense lime aroma.
Citrus medica – The citron (Tronġa) produces very large citrus fruits but consists of a very thick layer of bitter pith with very tiny fruit segments whose juice is very sour. The peel is often used as candied citron peel.
Citrus sinensis – The orange (Larinġa) has many varieties ranging in fruit size, navel structure, juice colour and taste. Several varieties are present and most of these are local varieties: ‘Navelina’, ‘Rubino’, ‘Tond’, ‘Ħelu mwaħħar’, ‘Tad-demm’, ‘Twil tad-demm’, ‘Twil imwaħħar’, ‘Twil fin’, ‘Ċatta’, ‘April’, ‘Tal-Portugal’. Maltese oranges have a gentle sweet taste which is less acidic than that of other oranges. The Maltese blood orange is renowned for its sweetness.